Hunters’ jail term reduced to suspended sentence

Two men who in 2010 were jailed for bribing a police officer to tip them off about inspections for illegal hunting, had their jail term suspended for two years after a probation officer told a Court of Appeal that the men had realised the consequences of their actions and changed their ways.

On 13 October 2010, Glenn Neil Scicluna and Roderick Stabile were found guilty of bribing police officer Kenneth Sevasta, and relapsing.

The Court heard how Scicluna and Stabile, both avid hunters, convinced the police officer detailed with the Administrative Law Enforcement, to inform them when and where the police would carry out surprise inspections.

The two men pleaded guilty to the charges and were handed an 18-month jail term, however they appealed judgement.

The men argued the judgement was null as it did not include the articles of law they were convicted of.

“Such omission nullified the judgement as the article mentioned in the judgement relates to the escape of prisoners, which neither of them was never charged with”, the appellants’ their lawyer said.

Furthermore both men gave the investigators all the information they required and admitted to the charges in the first sitting. They two are witness in the case against PC699 Kenneth Sevasta.

Reading through the social inquiry report drawn on the convicted men, Mr Justice Michael Mallia noted that both Scicluna and Stabile deemed hunting as their life’s priority.

“It seems that their conviction served as an eye opener as the probation officer had words of praise for the two men”, the judge said.

The probation officer described Stabile as an engineer in his father’s business. “He is the breadwinner in a stable relationship and a father and a jail term would be a burden on the family's plans for the future,” the officer said.

At the same time, the report highlighted how the proceedings had a negative impact on Glenn Neil Scicluna’s health, who is under psychological care and receives medication at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital.

Since the start of the case, he was suspended from work and a definite jail term will result in loss of employment.

The Court of Appeal decreed that while it has no sympathy to those with a warped sense of priorities, it cannot overlook the report of the probation officer.

“The Court hopes that the accused realise that their hobby is not worth their future, and that of their families. Their hobby can be practiced in a legal manner according to rules and regulations”, the judge said.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia, suspended the 18-month effective jail term for a period of three years, saying the accused are being given a window of opportunity, which they’ll do well to protect.

Lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha appeared for Stabile while Dr Joe Mifsud and Dr Michael Falzon represented Scicluna